2006 - 2007 Master of Education (MED)

Program Director: David Stokes

The college offers a graduate education program leading to a Masters Degree in Education (M.Ed.). Individuals must be interested in pursuing an advanced degree that is humanistic and developmental in its perspective and which has an instructional focus. Commitment to professional growth is a prerequisite.

Philosophy Statement

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree program at Westminster College is committed to improving education through meaningful inquiry and innovative exploration of the connections between teaching practice, beliefs and reflectivity. We emphasize the joining of theory and practice as a means to the personal transformation of teacher and training professionals and the institutions they represent.

The standards of the curriculum reflect the School of Education's commitment to provide a well-rounded education congruent with the needs of master teachers and other instructional professionals. These standards include:

Pedagogy: Students will engage in activities that help to bridge theory and practice by applying theoretical knowledge to field practices; they will acquire and enhance skills in communication, subject area content, and instructional methodologies and technologies.

Critical reflection: Students will grapple with the social, political, and moral implications of educational practices through dialogue, written formats, technological productions, and a variety of presentations.

Scholarly writing: Students will articulate thoughts in a clear, succinct, and organized manner; they will apply appropriate conventions of grammar and punctuation.

Research: Students will plan projects, search relevant professional databases, collect data through interviews and other applicable methods, analyze data, and complete and disseminate findings.

Collaboration: Students will work collaboratively with peers on activities associated with each aspect of their program.

The program is part of a college community distinguished for commitment to student growth and the exploration of scholastic development.

Program Description

The goals of the program are accomplished through courses, seminars and research opportunities evolving within the M.Ed. program.

Though the M.Ed. program does not lead to teacher licensure, already licensed students may gain a Basic Reading Endorsement, an Advanced Reading Endorsement, a Distance Learning Endorsement, an English as a Second Language Endorsement, a Special Education Endorsement, or an Adult Learning Certificate. Coursework for all endorsements counts toward an M.Ed. Additionally, students seeking licensure may enroll in the combined masters/licensure (TLP) program, which allows students to gain teaching licenses while earning up to twelve hours of graduate credit toward their M.Ed.

Note: Should the Utah State Board of Education change its requirements for teaching endorsements, the Master of Education/Teacher Education Program requirements will change accordingly.

Admission to the Program

Requirements for admission are (1) completion of a teacher education program or (2) position as an instructor in staff development or (3) other positions as appropriate to the focus of an advanced degree in instruction. Individuals with a baccalaureate degree seeking initial teacher licensure may qualify to take M.Ed. coursework while completing licensure requirements.

A candidate for admission must submit the following materials to the Office of Admissions:

A completed Application for Graduate Admission form with a $40 application fee.

Evidence of a completed baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university or a recognized international college or university.

Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education indicating a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Completed graduate questionnaire.

Three professional recommendations.

A personal résumé detailing professional work experience to include relevant job titles, work experience, responsibilities, and related activities.

Upon completion of these steps, the individual's application materials are submitted to the Graduate Education Admissions Committee. Once accepted to the M.Ed. Program, applicants must submit a $250 tuition deposit, which guarantees a place in the entering class.

Provisional Admission

Based on a committee review of unofficial documents, students with completed baccalaureate degrees may be admitted to the program on provisional status, pending receipt of official copies of all necessary documents and completion of the admissions process. These students will be permitted to register for one semester on provisional status but must complete their files and gain full admission before continuing the program in subsequent semesters.

Note: International students with baccalaureate degrees from countries other than the United States must present a TOEFL score of 600 or above.